The already established technology of using vortex generators for the purpose of bringing a medium into a vortex motion is achieved in a number of different ways. The most common one is that the medium is forced into motion inside the vortex chamber by the use of guiding rails, which exert pressure. The problem with this approach is that as soon as the guiding rail comes to an end, the pressure also disappears. Another established method is to blow the medium into the vortex chamber tangentially as a homogenous mass with high pressure and high flow. This method generates a rotation of the medium, which is similar to the rotation of a solid body and eventually leads to turbulence. Yet another method is to use a kind of disc, which rotates at a high speed and thus pulls the medium with it. This results in high pressure in the periphery, which causes the structured vortex to quickly break down into turbulence.
Thus difficulties arise in certain cases where it is important to keep the flowing medium in a controlled vortex motion. When it comes to hydrocyclones, for instance, and combustion chambers in jet engines, the technique of blowing the medium into the chamber tangentially as a homogenous mass has been used, but one of the problems with this method is that in this case, flow is interrupted, resulting in turbulence. In a hydrocyclone, this interferes with the centrifugal separation effect and causes particles to be drawn into the accept flow. In jet engines, this causes the mixture of fuel and air to be of inferior quality, which results in a reduction in effectiveness. This also leads to the process requiring more energy and a higher usage of raw materials than if it were possible to control the vortex motion. The use of guiding rails to direct the flow is not efficient enough since the guiding effect disappears as soon as the guiding rail comes to an end. Another problem is that when the flowing medium is blown or forced into the vortex chamber in a homogenous and more or less laminar flow, the vortex does not form a spiral flow pattern, but would in this case also start to rotate in the manner of a solid body to eventually change to a turbulent flow.
An example of an established vortex generator, the purpose of which is to treat drinkable liquids, is described in DE-U-20 218 674.
Another vortex generator, called the Martin Vortex Generator, is marketed under the brand name Wirbelwasser® (www.wirbelwasser.de). The water in this vortex generator moves in a way that is similar to a solid body.